Extruded track lighting system

Abstract

An improved extruded track lighting system having a support rail with a pair of cylindrical conductors exposed on an insulating extrusion. Various light fixtures having clamp brackets may be easily snapped on and off the support rails. Each of the clamp brackets includes a pair of parallel flat legs having gripping portions to conform with exposed cylindrical conductors on either side of the support rail. Alternatively, the clamp brackets may include outwardly extending tangs which can be forced between a pair of conductors on the interior of the extrusion. The brackets are simply swiveled with respect to the rail to couple or remove. No independent fastening means are needed to tighten the clamp brackets to the support rails. In one embodiment a light fixture includes a single swivel axis, while in another embodiment a light fixture includes a universal joint providing two orthogonal swivel axes between the lamp and the support rail. Low-voltage electricity conducts directly through the clamp brackets and swiveling light fixtures to the lamps. The support rails may be bent about at least two axes while still allowing coupling of the light fixtures in the bend.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lighting system, comprising: a support rail having a pair of parallel spaced cylindrical conductors separated by an insulating member, said conductors being at least partially exposed and accessible from an exterior location;   a bracket adapted to clamp to said conductors, said bracket having a pair of conductive clamp legs sized and configured to conform to said exposed portions of said conductors;   a spacer positioned between said clamp legs; and   a lamp mounting fixture positioned between said clamp legs and having conductive members in communication with said clamp legs and mounted to rotate about an axis,   wherein said bracket clamps to said support rail and rotation of said bracket about said support rail is constrained therefore, and wherein electricity from said conductors may conduct directly through said bracket clamp legs to said fixture conductive members to provide power to an associated lamp.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, wherein said lamp mounting fixture comprises a rigid insulating body having an H-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 2, wherein said pair of conductive members comprise elongated rectangular bars separated by said insulating body. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1, wherein said spacer comprises a bushing having a bore which aligns with a first pair of apertures respectively formed on said pair of clamp legs, and a first pair of fasteners which can be inserted through said bore and said first pair of apertures, to clamp together juxtaposed surfaces of said clamp legs by tightening said fasteners. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4, wherein said conductive members have threaded bores which align with a second pair of apertures respectively formed on said pair of clamp legs, and a second pair of fasteners which can be inserted through said conductive member bores and said second pair of apertures, to clamp together juxtaposed surfaces of said clamp legs by tightening said fasteners. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 4, wherein said spacer further comprises inserts pressed into dead-end cavities in terminal ends of said bushing, said inserts providing threaded bores to receive said first fasteners. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 6, wherein said inserts are brass. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 1, wherein said clamp legs face each other and clamp around said cylindrical conductors, said clamp legs being spaced apart slightly less than said spaced cylindrical conductors by virtue of the size of said spacer to provide a clamping action. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim 1, wherein said clamp legs face away from each other and clamp against said cylindrical conductors, said clamp legs being spaced apart slightly greater than said spaced cylindrical conductors by virtue of the size of said spacer to provide a clamping action. 
     
     
       10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a second spacer having a bore which aligns with a third pair of aligned apertures respectively formed on said pair of clamps legs, and a third pair of fasteners which can be inserted through said second spacer and said third pair of apertures, to clamp together juxtaposed surfaces of said clamp legs by tightening said fasteners into the bore of said second spacer so that said lighting system may rotate about an axis through said first and third pair of apertures, said first and third pairs of apertures being aligned through non-parallel axes so that said fixture may swivel in two planes. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said first or second spacers further includes inserts pressed into dead-end cavities in terminal ends of said spacer, said inserts providing threaded bores to receive a pair of threaded fasteners. 
     
     
       12. The system of claim 10, wherein said concave portions face each other and clamp around said exterior exposed conductors, said concave portions being spaced apart slightly less than said spaced conductors by virtue of the sizes of said second bushing and said spacer between said clamp legs to provide said clamping action. 
     
     
       13. A system of tracked lights, comprising: a support rail having a pair of parallel spaced cylindrical conductors separated by an insulating member, said conductors being at least partially exposed and accessible from an exterior location;   a bracket having a pair of conductive clamp legs with concave portions that conform to an exposed portion of said conductors adapted to clamp to said conductors, said bracket having two pairs of aligned apertures said first pair being on an end of said bracket opposite said concave portions and said second pair being intermediate said first pair and said concave portions;   a spacer positioned between said clamp legs and having a threaded bore aligned with said first pair of apertures;   a plurality of fasteners having threaded shafts adapted to engage said threaded bore, two of said fasteners being inserted through said second pair of apertures to clamp inner surfaces of said clamp legs to said spacer; and   a lamp mounting fixture positioned between said clamp legs and having conductive elements in communication with said clamp legs and mounted with two of said fasteners to rotate about an axis through said first pair of apertures,   wherein said bracket clamps to said support rail and rotation of said bracket about said support rail is constrained therefore, and wherein electricity from said conductors may conduct directly through said bracket clamp legs to said fixture conductive members to provide power to an associated lighting fixture.   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second bushing positioned between the clamp legs having outwardly facing threaded bores aligned with a third pair of apertures formed on said bracket so that said lighting system may rotate about an axis through said first and third pair of apertures, said first and third pairs of apertures being aligned through non-parallel axes so that said fixture may swivel in two planes. 
     
     
       15. A kit for a track lighting system, comprising: a flexible extruded member having a pair of elongated grooves formed on opposing sides of said member;   at least two cylindrical conductors sized and configured to be received into said grooves;   a bracket having a pair of conductive clamp legs with concave portions that conform to the exposed portions of the conductors; and   at least one lamp mounting fixture having an insulating body and conductive members comprising elongated rectangular bars sized and configured to be mounted in electrical communication with said clamp legs and so as to rotate with respect to said bracket.   
     
     
       16. A support rail for use in a track lighting system, comprising: an elongated extruded insulator having a base portion and a pair of partial cylindrical grooves, said insulator being plastically flexible so as to be able to bend and be arranged non-linearly;   a pair of cylindrical conductors held within said grooves and separated by said base portion said conductors being at least partially exposed and accessible from an exterior location; and   an elongated mounting rib joined to said insulator base at a neck and to be forced between a pair of resilient opposed legs of a mounting frame to mount a length of said support rail.   
     
     
       17. The system of claim 16, wherein said extrusion grooves face outwardly and said conductors are exposed on an exterior of said support rail. 
     
     
       18. The system of claim 16, wherein said extrusion grooves face inwardly and said conductors are exposed on an interior of said support rail. 
     
     
       19. A track lighting system, comprising: a flexible support rail having a pair of parallel spaced cylindrical conductors separated by an insulating extruded member, said conductors being at least partially exposed and accessible from an exterior location;   a bracket adapted to clamp to said conductors, said bracket having a pair of conductive clamp legs with concave portions that conform to and clamp against said exposed portion of said conductors in either straight and bent regions of said support rail; and   a lamp mounting fixture having conductive members adapted to be mounted in communication with said clamp legs and to rotate with respect to said bracket,   wherein said concave portions of said bracket is sized and configured to clamp to said support rail and rotation of said bracket about said support rail is constrained by at least one fastener, and wherein electricity from said conductors may conduct directly through said bracket clamp legs to said fixture conductive members to provide power to an associated lamp.   
     
     
       20. The track lighting system of claim 19, wherein said extruded member has a base portion and a pair of partial cylindrical grooves for receiving said conductors. 
     
     
       21. The track lighting system of claim 19, wherein said extruded member is constructed of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). 
     
     
       22. The track lighting system of claim 19, wherein said extruded member is constructed of polypropylene. 
     
     
       23. The track lighting system of claim 19, wherein an extrusion groove faces outwardly and each of said cylindrical conductors are exposed on an exterior of said support rail, said system further including: a plurality of tiles for clamping to said exposed conductors having a base portion and a pair of opposed arcuate portions adapted to snap around said conductors.   
     
     
       24. The track lighting system of claim 23, further including a plurality of suspension elements on the end of which said tiles are pivotably mounted. 
     
     
       25. A method of configuring a track lighting system by mounting at least one lamp fixture in a fixed position with respect to a rail, comprising the steps of: mounting a support rail to a location fixed with respect to a reference frame, said support rail having a pair of parallel elongated conductors having exposed arcuate portions with offset axes, said conductors separated and supported by a flexible elongated insulating member;   clamping a bracket to said conductors, said bracket having gripping portions that conform to the exposed portions of the conductors by contacting one of said gripping portions to one of said conductors and rotating said bracket with respect to said rail to cam said other gripping portion over the other conductor, wherein the gripping portions of the bracket clamp to the support rail to secure said bracket and constrain rotation of the bracket about the support rail; and   electrically connecting a lamp fixture to said bracket, wherein electricity from said conductors may conduct directly through said bracket clamp legs to said fixture to provide power to an associated lamp.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, comprising the additional steps of: removing the clamp bracket from said support rail by simply rotating said bracket with respect to said rail so that one of said gripping portions rotates about its associated conductor and said other gripping portion cams over and swings away from its associated conductor to release said bracket from said rail.   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a pair of spaced grooves for receiving said conductors, the conductors being cylindrical and at least partially exposed when seated in said grooves.